diff --git a/lisp/org-exp.el b/lisp/org-exp.el
index 8628d1fd7..3e7e54ba6 100644
--- a/lisp/org-exp.el
+++ b/lisp/org-exp.el
@@ -1786,6 +1786,7 @@ These special cookies will later be interpreted by the backend."
 		  (top-ind (org-list-get-ind top struct)))
 	     (goto-char bottom)
 	     (when (and (not (eq org-list-ending-method 'indent))
+			(not (looking-at "[ \t]*$"))
 			(looking-at org-list-end-re))
 	       (replace-match ""))
 	     (unless (bolp) (insert "\n"))
@@ -1844,6 +1845,7 @@ These special properties will later be interpreted by the backend."
 	      (goto-char bottom)
 	      (when (or (looking-at "^ORG-LIST-END-MARKER\n")
 			(and (not (eq org-list-ending-method 'indent))
+			     (not (looking-at "[ \t]*$"))
 			     (looking-at org-list-end-re)))
 		(replace-match ""))
 	      (unless (bolp) (insert "\n"))
diff --git a/lisp/org-list.el b/lisp/org-list.el
index e7f3ec249..7c9ef01f5 100644
--- a/lisp/org-list.el
+++ b/lisp/org-list.el
@@ -2897,8 +2897,9 @@ Point is left at list end."
     (when delete
       (delete-region top bottom)
       (when (and (not (eq org-list-ending-method 'indent))
+		 (not (looking-at "[ \t]*$"))
 		 (looking-at org-list-end-re))
-	(replace-match "\n")))
+	(replace-match "")))
     out))
 
 (defun org-list-make-subtree ()